194 – Chance Encounter

I left the temple, mounted Sonya, and took a last look at the Obelisk.

Pokora could not understand something I can't properly explain.

“Let's go,” I told the Ratnak and tapped her neck.

The beast turned to the forests and began a light stroll.

A sigh left me.

Fortunately for me, the other three understood the reality of the situation better. Plus, Elena might help with it.

My hopes were not that high about that, however, since I asked the ancient woman to behave before leaving, and that we'd have the conversation I told her about when I returned.

Something told me she wasn't all that bad in the head.

'May those you slay find peace knowing they serve a great purpose', is what she had told me as farewell.

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling at odds that the one I didn't exactly like understood things the best.

The Orators met me outside the clearing and walked next to me.

In any case, my lovers and companions would be in good hands during my absence. The Gods would continue teaching and guiding them, as was their nature.

To say my good mood had gone away would be an understatement.

The Dryads accompanied me until the treeline that met the road, then bowed and said their farewell.

I returned the gesture and left.

A minute later Sonya and I were alone on the road, moving forward at a relaxed pace.

The snow had turned the dirt muddy with small puddles all over.

A croak came from above.

Pyotr landed on my shoulder, snuggled against my neck, and softly cawed, “Ualrin! Far!”

I nodded. “It is,” I replied and stroked the bird's feathers. “Can you fetch me a pebble or a stone, boy?”

He cawed and jumped down, then skittered to the treeline at the edge of the road, pecked a few times, and returned with a pebble. The Corvitex dropped it in my hand and went back to snuggling.

I rolled the pebble in my hand while looking around.

A fat frog was comfortably and lazily resting on a root a few tens of meters away.

I activated [Initiation] and appraised the critter.

[Sapolion, Level 92]

“I need to be in combat,” I told the frog. “My bad,” I apologized and flicked the pebble at it.

The projectile hit it square in the face, punching a hole right through and killing it instantly.

The portion of the skill that increased Sonya's stats triggered, and the Ratnak growled with mild surprise.

“Fly, Pyotr,” I warned the bird. “We'll go pretty fast from now on. Also, make sure to eat the Sapolion I just killed.”

He croaked and took off toward the sacrifice.

“Let me know when you get tired, girl,” I told the Ratnak, fixed my posture on the saddle to make sure I wouldn't fall off, and activated [Charge].

We shot forward, a loud bang as feedback of the skill that told me we broke the sound barrier.

Three hours later we took a break, entering the forest to find a clearing since the roads weren't exactly accommodating with a sudden heavy rain.

Since Sonya had reached level one thousand, the distance we had covered was pretty considerable. Still, the beast was panting.

The pull guiding me to Ualrin told me we were almost halfway there.

I retrieved my pocket watch and had a look.

It was 7:25, and the smell of damp earth and wet foliage surrounded me. The rain fell in thick, heavy sheets, drumming against the canopy of leaves above and turning the forest floor into a slick mess of mud and roots.

I got off Sonya and walked ahead.

It was almost peaceful, the kind of quiet that comes when Galeia decides to drown out everything else.

As I moved through the trees, the faint flicker of light caught my eye—a campfire. Or what was left of one. I stepped into a clearing, water splashing beneath my boots.

There, leaning against a thick tree, was a woman. She didn’t move. Didn’t make a sound.

I gave her a look up and down.

She didn’t seem bothered by the rain. The brim of her hat covered her face, hiding most of her expression, though her mouth was pulled into the faintest smirk. Leather garments clung to her frame, drenched like the rest of her, but she didn’t seem to care.

[Celez Human, Lvl 288 Rogue – 274 First Order Chaser – 255 Stalker]

She was calm—too calm for a mortal encountering a Halve.

A bandit? I wondered, not too concerned, then moved aside to let Sonya enter the clearing.

The Ratnak stopped beneath a tree and plopped herself on the ground.

I stored my helmet and shook my head to get rid of the water that managed to sneak in, only for the barrage or droplets coming from the sky to drench me even more. “Not the best weather for camping,” I observed in Common with a quick glance around the clearing. “You lost?”

She chuckled low, a rough sound undercut by her drawl. “Reckon it’s not. But then again, I didn’t plan on company.”

The rain beat harder around us, but her voice carried easily through the storm, unaffected by the wild weather. Her words had a lilt to them, an accent I couldn't quite put my finger on.

The woman smiled a lazy grin as she pushed off the tree and dusted her hands off, though they were already wet from the rain. “I could ask you the same, sweetheart. Mighty strange for an ‘idol’ to be wanderin’ through the muck.” Blue eyes glinted under the hat’s brim. “Name's Victoria Lynn,” she said with a nod, moving short blond locks, “But most folks 'round here just call me Butcher.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Butcher?” I repeated, ignoring the other remarks.

“I was born in Dixie. Daddy was a butcher,” she simply replied.

Dixie? I thought, trying to recall such a country, but nothing came up. Maybe it's a small town, I concluded. “Natasha,” I introduced myself. “But I guess you already knew that.”

Before she could respond, a particularly loud clap of thunder echoed through the forest. The woman chuckled again, brushing a hand over her wet face. “Well, at least the weather’s got some spirit.”

“Looks like the storm caught you off guard,” I commented, produced my spear, stabbed the ground, and leaned on it.

She glanced up at the sky, then shrugged. “Guess you could say that. But I don’t mind a bit of rain. Helps wash off the dirt from the road, don’t it?”

I smiled at that, then nodded. “True.”

Victoria gestured at me. “You just passin’ through?”

“Just traveling,” I said, matching her casual tone and glancing at the trees swaing in the storm. “I'd prefer to keep moving, rain or not, but...” I nodded at Sonya. “Got tired.”

She nodded. “Sensible. Don’t much like sittin’ still myself. Been wanderin’ these parts long?”

“First time around here,” I replied, looking back at her. “And you? You make a habit of camping out in storms?”

A half-grin flashed across her face. “Not really, but I’ll take what I can get. Roads are flooded, anyway. Ain’t nobody goin’ nowhere fast tonight.”

That was true. The rain was relentless, and it wasn’t letting up any time soon.

“Where are you headed?” I asked, more to keep the conversation going.

“Wherever the coin takes me,” she answered with a nonchalant shrug. “Chasin’ folk who’d rather not be found, mostly. Bit of bounty work, a bit of tracking, but nothing glamorous.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Hunting criminals?”

“Among other things,” she said with a casual smile. “Ain’t always the bad guys that need findin’. Sometimes people just… disappear, and someone’s gotta be good at bringin’ ‘em back.”

There was something easy about the way she spoke. No pretense, no fear of who I was or what I could do.

She continued, seeming content to let the conversation unfold without pushing for anything grander. “And what about you?” she asked, gesturing with her chin. “Guessin’ you’ve seen more than your fair share of folk goin’ missin’, huh?”

I gave a slight nod. “More than enough,” I replied, thinking of Elena.

The rain poured down harder, creating a curtain between us and the forest.

“Must be nice,” I said, not letting the conversation die since I could use the distraction, “to just chase after people without a care in the world.”

Victoria chuckled, leaning back against the tree again. “Oh, don’t let me fool ya. There’s plenty of cares. Like makin’ sure I get my cut before they disappear for good.” She paused, the grin fading slightly. “And some folks don’t like bein’ found. Not all of ‘em are friendly.”

I hummed. “Sounds like you’ve had your fair share of encounters,” I commented, intrigued. “What’s the worst you’ve faced?”

The woman crossed her arms, considering. “Had a fella once—thought he could outrun me. Didn’t take long for him to learn that rain and mud ain’t exactly a friend to someone tryin’ to run.” She winked. “Let’s just say I got the drop on him before he even knew I was there.”

“Huh,” I uttered a little disappointed, but nodded anyway. “I can imagine it takes some skill to track someone through weather like this.”

“Just gotta pay attention to the signs,” she replied, her voice thoughtful. “Nature’s got a way of tellin’ you what’s goin’ on if you listen close enough. But enough about me. What’s your story?”

I raised an eyebrow at the shift. “My story?” I asked, a smile forming. “Just a traveler looking for my next destination.”

Victoria wasn’t letting that slide. “Oh, come on. I can tell there’s more to you than just wanderin’ the woods. You’re not exactly the average traveler, are ya?”

“I'm heading toward Ualrin,” I relented, keeping my tone light. “There's business there.”

Victoria’s interest piqued. “Ualrin, huh? That’s my destination too, eventually. Picked up a bounty there. Some lowlife thinks hiding out in the east is a smart way to avoid the law.” Her grin widened. “I intend to prove the scum wrong.”

I hummed, looking up at the canopy. It was worth the try. “Every heard the name Yugulari?” I inquired, looking back at her.

Her expression shifted slightly, a hint of recognition flashing in her blue eyes. “Yugulari? Yeah, I’ve caught wind of them. Can’t say I know much, though. Just rumors swirling around about a changeling group causing all sorts of trouble in Lumin Kingdom.” She leaned in slightly, curiosity sparking in her tone. “Didn’t they try something big not too long ago? Heard it involved a poisoning attempt or something.”

I nodded. “And some nasty business with the King. I killed a couple of them but some managed to escape.”

“That’s the sort of news that doesn’t hit the streets,” she replied, crossing her arms as she considered the implications. “Heard King Gordon is a popular fella. Can’t have folks getting worried over that kind of mess.” She paused, her expression thoughtful. “But if they’re laying low, that’s smart. Sometimes it’s better to wait until the storm passes before sticking your head back out.”

I hummed in the affirmative.

“Dispatching a few of them must’ve sent a message, though,” she said, a hint of respect creeping into her voice.

“More like a reminder of what happens when you go against us,” I replied, glancing back at her. “But there are still loose ends,” I added, giving her a knowing look.

Victoria's expression shifted, the flicker of indecision evident in her blue eyes. “I get it,” she said slowly. “But here’s the thing: I’ve got my own bounty to chase. The one I picked up in Ualrin? It ain’t gonna hunt itself.”

I gave her an understanding nod. “You deal with that and then look for me.”

She let out a low laugh, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I can’t ignore the risk that comes with teamin’ up with someone like you. I can handle low-level scum, but political players?"

“One thousand gold coins for information gathering and fifty thousand for catchin’ anyone in Yugulari’s group,” I laid out the offer.

I wasn't naive enough to expect free work for the Greater Good. Victoria was a bounty hunter, after all.

Her eyes widened slightly, the cogs turning in her mind. “That’s… a temptin’ offer,” she admitted, but the conflict remained on her face. “But chasin’ a bounty is a straightforward gig. I know the risks, I know the terrain, and I’ve got my escape routes mapped out. This? If I step into your world, that changes everythin’. The stakes rise, and so does the danger. You’re not just dealin’ with a runaway thief anymore.”

“You can decline,” I reminded her.

She sighed, glancing back at the canopy. “Guess it’s a tough decision. On one hand, I want the coin, but on the other, the risks are sky-high.”

“There's time to think about it,” I pointed out, gesturing at the storm raging above.

Victoria grunted, then threw a powder at the dying fire.

The flames regained a bit of life, burned a little hotter and grew slightly in size.

The woman focused on them, staring into the dancing flames that defied the heavy rain, lost in thought. She produced a small box and fiddled with it, extracting the contents and rolling a cigarette.

With the conversation done I looked up and stared at the sky.

Pyotr's Bond pointed east, approaching at a decent speed.

An hour and some change later, Sonya grumbled and stood up.

The rain had let out a little. Enough to keep going, at least.

I mounted up and gave Victoria a nod. “I'll be around Sapul for a while. Find me there if you change your mind,” I told her.

The woman nodded, but said nothing.

Sonya took me out of the forest and back to the road.